UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin has claimed Euro 2020 will go as planned next summer and revealed the intentions of an 'improved' FFP.
In an interview with The Guardian journalist Sebastián Fest, the President seemed sure that the postponed European Championship won’t have to go through another difficult period next year.
“I don’t know why it wouldn’t be. I don’t think this virus will last forever. I think it will [change] sooner than many thinks,” he told The Guardian.
UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin has claimed Euro 2020 will go as planned next summer and revealed the intentions of an 'improved' FFP.
In an interview with The Guardian journalist Sebastián Fest, the President seemed sure that the postponed European Championship won’t have to go through another difficult period next year.
“I don’t know why it wouldn’t be. I don’t think this virus will last forever. I think it will [change] sooner than many thinks,” he told The Guardian.
“It’s a serious situation but it’s going down now and we are being more cautious. We know more about the virus and in general I’m an optimistic person. I don’t like this apocalyptic view that we have to wait for the second and third waves or even a fifth wave…
“We are ready and we will follow the recommendations of the authorities but I’m absolutely sure, personally, that good old football with fans will come back very soon.”
The UFEA chief has revealed that we might see some amendments of the Financial Fair Play rules and claimed the association is working on the ‘competitive balance’ in Europe.
“If they don’t follow the rules, they will always be sanctioned but of course we are [always] thinking about how we can improve our regulations and, if necessary, adapt to new times,” he added.
“This will not happen very soon, but we are thinking of improving it. Modernising it and doing something more about the competitive balance.
“We are also considering some sort of “luxury tax”, if it’s possible. So, there are many ideas but trust me, during these difficult times we have stopped thinking more or less about changes that will happen in the future.
“Now we have to steer our ship on to the right course and we are close to doing it. Then, when things calm down, we will go back to the old tasks.”
Regarding player wages, Ceferin insists he ‘doesn’t think players are greedy’ but pointed at possible changes after the financial crisis in European football.
“I don’t think players are greedy,” he said. “The market decides the price. But now let’s see if the market response to this crisis means that the prices go down.
“It’s possible that prices will go down, but I don’t think it’s fair to say that the players are greedy, that the players are not fair because their salaries are too high.
“They also bring a lot of revenue and football is a big industry that pays a huge amount of taxes. The player is also paying huge taxes, so I don’t think the right word is greediness, or that the clubs should be wiser, because it’s simply the market that decides how the prices are moving.”